Survival Project (Rewrite)
by diamondpearl876
Summary: This trainer is different. Everyone knows it, but no one can explain it. REWRITE!
1. all or nothing

_Mind led body  
>to the edge of the precipice.<br>They stared in desire  
>at the naked abyss.<br>If you love me, said mind,  
>take that step into silence.<br>If you love me, said body,  
>turn and exist.<br>— "Vertigo" by Anne Stevenson_

chapter 1 ; [SENORI]  
>all or nothing<p>

*

I never saw him coming.

Perhaps my tail was not yet long enough to help me stand higher and watch for danger. Younger sentret are always vulnerable to such restrictions, but my clan didn't have a concrete idea of age—just loyalty and ability. I wish age was a pronounced concept in the p**okémon** world, but I don't choose what's important. Who was to say that my tail was going to grow any more? I only knew that I was old enough to be shunned by my clan due to a catastrophe that was out of my control.

It could have been sleep deprivation. There was no one to switch shifts with, because no one wanted to defy the clan and end up in my position, too. When you're alone, you can kind of doze off without realizing it. But I'd trained for much of my life to do this, to _protect_. Sleep was never an issue, not even when I failed—once. After standing guard almost all day, every day, nothing as pathetic as _that_ should have interfered.

Every aspect of my life was opposed by a larger, impenetrable force. Fate was trying to show me how things fall somewhere between completely right and completely wrong. I never questioned this, not until that time, when I thought that I should have felt his presence or smelled him or seen him. He still would have attacked. He still would have taken and given... everything. The situation would have made some sort of sense if I had anticipated something, anything. 

And yet—

I never saw him coming.

*

It's funny, I guess. Humans are supposed to make some kind of mark when walking through a forest. They're supposed to snap twigs, leave footprints and mess with tree branches out of boredom. Even though he did none of this, I should have seen his shadow thanks to the sun rays pouring through the tree canopies. Instead, a simple blur appeared as he ran behind me.

He was fast, so very fast.

He swung his one leg out, hit my feet as hard as he could. I lost my balance and fell face first into the ground. As I fell, I was expecting to see claws. Paws. Not flesh caked with dried dirt and blood. He wasn't a fellow p**okémon coming to get revenge. **

To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Not only had he gone undetected, but also I had never seen a human attack a pokémon. I didn't know how to react to this new situation, so I remained where I was, silently hoping against hope that he would walk away. And then it hit me: this human was a threat to my clan. If he was willing to hurt me, then he would be willing to hurt other pokémon. The worst part of it all? My clan didn't know he was there.

Of course this would happen to me. And of course I was choosing to just... _lie___there. Though my intentions were true, my security was gone. There was no one to cheer me on from the side, no one to notice my efforts, no one to assist me at times like these. Not anymore.

What could I do? If I screamed, my clan would ignore me, thinking I was looking for attention. I could have run, but I would have accidentally led the attacker straight to them. Unacceptable. But I couldn't attack, that much was clear. I didn't know how to track him; I couldn't see him move properly; and I didn't believe that pokémon and humans should fight. In that moment, I wanted previous experience with fighting humans, but that seemed to be the same as wanting more attacks on the clan as an excuse to battle. I pushed the thought away.

Suddenly, I realized that time had passed with me getting lost in my own mind. The human had done nothing else, as he was most likely waiting for me to acknowledge his existence. I lifted my head slowly. Mud clung to my face. Leaves swayed in the wind while the trees watched, as they always did, hushed and calm. Nature was peaceful and easy to deal with, unlike this blatant challenge.

The stream in front of us was no different. Water moved gently in the only direction it knew. I tend to believe I was imagining this scene, because if it were real, that would mean we were near my clan and I didn't want that. I must have wandered in that general area out of subconscious desperation, but I couldn't be sure. I had to focus on the present moment.

There were no signs of the human's presence when I looked from the front. Fate had sent trouble my way and didn't want me to see it, apparently.

I assumed he was still behind me. I stood up, clenched my tiny hands. I pulled my fist back and turned around, intending to use my sucker punch attack to get the upper hand, but I swung at the air and missed. Had he left, I would have been relieved, but disappointed that yet another living creature deemed me as a waste of time.

My self-pity party ended when, from the corner of my eyes, I saw him kicking at me. I didn't even have enough momentum to escape quickly. He pinned me down, and then he tried to pick me up with his hands in a way that wouldn't let me wiggle free. I made an honest effort for once and bit him. I bit him hard and he didn't yell at me. He stopped trying to pick me up, pressed me deeper into the dirt. Sharp pains flowed throughout my body so effortlessly, yet in deformed rhythms. I sank further and further into the mud, an everlasting reminder of what defeat really is. And I cried. I wailed.

My cry echoed and echoed and the lull that passed between the two of us broke my heart.

My clan wasn't coming to rescue me. I certainly wasn't going to rescue myself. Finally, finally, he removed his grip, stepped over me, and turned to face me. Blood seeped down his right hand to his elbows and inevitably onto the grassy floor. His face was tense; his dark eyes showed no feeling. He probably thought I was too slow to break away, and he was being kind by giving me this false reassurance.

I gave in, but not truly. He could have me, as long as my clan was safe.

He shouldn't have given out a second chance, but he did. I didn't take it. His fist collided with my stomach. My knees buckled; my vision went askew. The forest bed was my friend once more. How could a human have this much power?

Before fainting, I swore I heard him sigh and look... disappointed. That was the first emotion I ever saw from him, and I will always remember it. I didn't know what he had envisioned, though. Pokémon can't predict human movements. Not that I was trying. Maybe I hadn't spent enough time with him at this point, but there was nothing else out of the ordinary with this boy. He wasn't wearing shoes, but that could be normal, right? He looked like a new trainer with his unkempt black hair, his plan black t-shirt, and frayed shorts.

Had he not attacked me, I would have thought he was just like everyone else.

But his mobility was stunning, quiet and able to shake the reality I had come to know. His thoughts were unreadable, but if I could have heard them, I'm confident when I say they would have been stronger than any punch or kick.

There was nothing left to ask as I slipped into unconsciousness.

*

When I woke up, a dull, soft pressure throbbed on the side of my head. Dizziness initially accompanied the pain, but I focused on the fact that I could no longer feel mud on my face and that I was propped up against a tree. I opened my eyes when the dizziness faded. I had to blink a few times before I could see clearly. The first thing I noticed was my attacker sitting next to me, staring into the distance, supposedly unaware of my awakening. For some reason, he had cleaned my face and put me into a more comfortable position. I didn't know what he was going to do next.

I relaxed when I came to understand that the rest of the forest was untouched. My clan wasn't sprinting by, panicking while they prepared to flee or die. If they found me in my current predicament, however, they might hate me even more for allowing this menace to run loose.

I wanted to disappear. Physically, I didn't know if it was possible, since the human had come close to crushing my skull. I was also mentally drained, lacking in motivation, and I was convinced he could readily catch me. I wanted to fix that look of disappointment I saw. I wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault that I didn't defend myself, and that it wasn't his fault I deserved to be battered the way I was. My pokémon speech would be useless, anyway. In the end, all would be done in vain.

Realizing this, I sighed. The slight motion had interesting consequences.

Overall, he had seemed all right. Serene, even, and the nice actions he performed gave him points. But I sighed and the noise made him snap his head up and grasp his right wrist, the one stained red. When his knuckles started turning whiter than white, he wrapped his arms around his legs, holding his knees close to his face. His expression tensed, and I should have been scared. Anyone else would have been scared, but all I could think about was how he was ruining the circulation in his hands and, somehow, it was my fault.

"You're awake," he said after a few more moments.

I jumped when he spoke, because I'd never had a human communicate with me. His voice sounded both hollow and childish. The combination seemed impossible, but that was the best way to describe it at the time.

Now I wanted to reply. If I said what I wanted to say, I would go unheard. What would I have taught the children from my clan to do? I would tell them to play along. Get on his good side, act cheerful, and leave whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"Stating the obvious, are we?" I said. I grinned, ignoring the pain in my jaw. If I was lucky, I could make him smile or chuckle.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"Look, I—" I cut myself off after calculating his words, deciding they were a direct response to what I had said. This human was odd, more so than I initially thought. Nothing made sense again. "Why... Why do you understand me?" I managed to ask, though he was looking at me, examining me.

"Am I not supposed to?"

I paused, then went on to ramble. "You're... not supposed to know what I'm saying, no. New trainers come by here with their starters all the time. They have to read their pokémon's body language and gestures, and the language itself will come in time, I assume, since I've seen older trainers come by, too... I don't get it..."

"If it helps you, I can pretend to not understand."

"If it helps me do what?" I asked, shifting uncomfortably against the tree trunk.

"Become stronger."

Well, that explained why he confronted me earlier. He wanted to test my strength. The outcome: I was weak. That was true, at least, but there was something missing.

"Why would you need me to get stronger?"

He wouldn't look at me as he answered, "We're going on a journey. We're going to get the badges here in Johto. They told me to capture the first pokemon I saw, and... that wasn't you, I admit, but you'll have to do."

"What are you—"

"You're my first pokémon, Senori."

The human sounded so sure of himself, but I wasn't sure of anything. This would mean leaving my clan. They didn't want me, but they still needed me. All of them. They just didn't know it. If I left and came back to find them maimed, eaten, burned with the rest of the forest... I could never forgive myself if that happened. No, no, no.

And who was Senori? That wasn't my name, but here it was, directed at me as if I had possessed it since birth. Still. His declaration almost made everything seem okay and real. I chose to start here as I told him, "I'm sorry, but that's not my name. I'm usually called—"

"I don't care what anyone's called you. Your name is Senori," he said, his gaze focused on me once more.

"Fine. It doesn't matter. I'm not going anywhere with you." My quick temper was going to get me into more trouble if I wasn't careful. Usually, if I acted angry with a member of my clan, the other pokémon would feel guilty and apologize. This boy, he smiled, as if what I said meant nothing. I smiled, too, and continued, "You didn't even catch me in a pokéball. Trainers get their starters in New Bark Town, anyway, which is nearby. I don't know who works with all that, but you can ask around."

The human's eyes widened. "But that's not what they told me to do. I just listened. I just tried to listen..." He trailed off, then came up with his own version of an appropriate response. "You're coming with me, and I'll get a pokémon in New Bark Town, too. That way, I'm doing it right for everyone."

Why didn't this boy know how to start his own pokémon journey properly? Every kid who passed by talked on and on about their tenth birthday and how they wanted to travel through Johto while making friends with their favorite creatures. They talked about becoming so free, so independent, so strong. I wondered if his parents kept him sheltered, but that seemed silly. He would have learned about it _somewhere_. If his parents forbade him to go and he went in spite of that, he could have been feigning innocence...

This was my problem: I thought too much, and I knew next to nothing, though I believed otherwise. I didn't know whether or not I was going to depart from my home for him. I didn't know why I was the one he picked. There's always someone who wants to hold another person's hand until they're ready to let go. That someone, during our first conversation, wasn't me.

"Okay," I said. It was wrong of me to say, as his eyes brightened. "I'll go with you to New Bark Town. I'll see what I can do about getting you a real first pokémon in a pokéball. But then I'm out of here. I have family and friends to stay with."

This was wrong of me to say, too. His face contorted with fury. "You can't go," he said firmly, peering down. "You can't do this to me. You can't."

"What? There are plenty of sentret on the other side of Cherrygrove, if you really want one. It... can't be me."

"It has to be you. There is no one else but you." He reached into his pocket, causing me to flinch. He pulled out a small object shaped like a cube with smooth, rounded corners. It was mostly white with varying amounts of black dots on each side. I didn't know what the black parts meant, but it seemed harmless. He handed it to me and I took it.

"What's this for?" I asked, struggling to hold it.

"It's a standard six-sided die. Roll it."

"Excuse me? Roll it?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Roll it. Throw it. Whatever. I can't do it for you or it won't mean anything." When I thought of rolling, I thought of taking a bath, moving my body around in the water until I was clean... "It's been with me for years. It's survived every obstacle in its way, only to end up in your hands. So roll it." He pushed my paws toward my chest. The pressure was similar to when he foot was pushed against my head. My bones ached. "There is no one else but you," he repeated.

"What happens when I roll it?" I asked, not quite ready to give in. I couldn't get caught up in lies or bad intentions twice in a row. I believe there is good in everyone, but that didn't make me less wary of him.

"You'll see that I am right."

Despite my stubbornness, I couldn't gather the courage needed to keep up the argument. I thrust my paw forward, my fixation on the object never wavering. It rotated in the grass, then determinedly landed on the side with a single black dot on it. I didn't comprehend the results, but the boy reacted joyfully.

"See? You're number one. There is no one else but you. Even if that pokémon from New Bark Town is supposed to be my first, it won't be." He grabbed the object with delicacy, though it didn't appear breakable. "I'll keep it in my pocket so you'll always know, Senori. And so everyone else will know. Let's go."

Reluctantly I sat. Ever since that terrible incident, I wanted to feel useful and loved. Being called number one fit into those desires. But I wanted to be needed by the family I grew up with, the family that considered me a leader. Torn, the verdict came to me. My family wasn't here, and there wasn't any indication that they would be there in the future. This wasn't their shot at redemption. It had to be mine.

"Yeah. Let's go. By the way, I don't know your name." Stay optimistic. Stay happy, believe in fate—for them. "Should I decide it for you?" I surprised myself with sarcasm. I was hesitant toward him and figured I didn't want to leave because, deep down, I didn't want him to wrongly view me as worthwhile.

"My name? My name is Sai."

*

We walked away from our battlefield and away from my clan. I planned to say my goodbyes as we circled back to Cherrygrove, and by then I would be more firm with my decisions. I turned, as if this was my last chance to see the stream from which we drank and the trees we climbed to get closer to the sky. Sai was blocking my way.

"I'm going to carry you so it will go faster," he said, and promptly scooped me into his arms. I didn't complain. I was aching all over, but it did annoy me as he held me with his bloodied hand. I already hated seeing him hurt.

"So. Why can you understand me already?" I said, refusing to protest against him any further.

"That doesn't matter. Are we there yet?"

He was an impatient one. I had to distract him. "It sounds to me like you just don't know."

Sai halted mid-step, turning me around to face him, obviously not caring about inducing more wounds. He frowned; his eyes seemed darker than before; I thought he was going to explode. Instead he ordered me to keep leading the way.

If I was being honest, I had never been inside New Bark Town. I could have very well been leading him down the wrong path. It was unfortunate that he came from the north and had no knowledge of the area, and so I had to rely on fate to take us there.

"This way," I said. He listened, as if I were the trainer. "What pokémon are you gonna get, anyway?"

"I don't know."

"Well... There's different types, which have different strengths and weaknesses. Some specialize in attack while others specialize in defense. There's a lot of things to account for."

Sai didn't say anything. I shrugged him off, thinking he was daydreaming, like most new trainers do. I didn't know then that he had no clue as to what starters were available. I didn't know that his lack of awareness could go this far.

"And you're going to help me, right?"

"Help you do... what, exactly?" I asked. This conversation didn't look too hopeful, when you looked at how the last time we talked about helping each other.

"You'll tell me about each of them. The pokémon. And then I'm going to watch them and I'll choose from there. The one with the most potential will join us."

"The most potential for what? Actually, never mind that! You can't just... watch them!" I took a deep breath. "Most trainers go in, knowing who they want, and they take that pokémon along with any other items the person gives them, and that's that. They're so excited about it and they blabber on about it for hours when they pass this forest. It seems like it's all a part of the journey. Why are you making this so complicated? Why are you the only one who doesn't know what to do?" There went my temper again, and I waited for the aftermath.

But nothing happened. "As long as I get the pokémon, it shouldn't matter, right?" he said. "It's still starting out the correct way."

"I suppose that's true," I said unsure of whose rules he was intending to follow until the end.

"And you're going to help me, right?" he said with that same hollow and childish voice, like he was embarrassed to ask for my support.

I didn't know why he needed my support. I mean, trainers count on their pokémon, but not like _this_. I wouldn't know why for most of the journey. Once, I thought I accepted his offer because of my penchant for protecting others, or because he'd attack me more if I said no. Later, I would come to know him better, on an intense level that would teach me how perfectly wrong I was.

He was special, the kind of treasured person you want to keep around.

"Don't worry. I'm going to take care of you," I told him.

I undertook this task dubiously, and this uncertainty grew into sincerity and devotion soon enough. 


	2. suppression

chapter 2 ; [KUIORA]

suppression

Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved a girl. Then the girl left him and the boy didn't want to love her anymore.

The two of them had been together for many years, and the girl found perfection in the boy every day. Because of this, she was eternally grateful to have him in her life, and often she wondered what she had done to deserve him. He had done well to earn a life more extravagant and timeless, yet he stayed by her side. The idea of him having regrets haunted her. She dwelled on these thoughts, unable to find a way to ease the chaos in her mind.

One day, she was luckless, or fortunate, depending on how you view it. She stumbled upon someone who told her about three specific legendary pokémon: the bringers of knowledge, willpower, and emotion. They were born from the same egg, which was created by the god of pokémon. They resided deep in the caves of Sinnoh, safe from harm and disturbance.

After analyzing the conversation, she knew her destiny, and felt obligated to fulfill her duty.

"We have them to thank for everything," she said when she told her husband this. "Every tree, every mountain, every sea, they all conspired for millions and millions of years to get us both here. And I don't know why they conspired so much, but I want to see them and thank them. I need to let them know their efforts weren't in vain. Won't you come with me?"

But the boy didn't want to go. He wanted to preserve their privacy, wanted to accept life as it was. There was no point in messing with things that couldn't be changed.

"You are the most important part of my life. These creatures have given me the ability to love, the desire to live in this terrible world, and the knowledge to know how to survive long enough to make you happy somehow. Do you not think of this? Will you not go with me?" she asked.

Still, he would not go. He tried to stall her, but failed. She defied him with dismay, explaining where she was going and saying that she would be back as soon as possible.

She took a ferry to Sinnoh. Several people asked her what was wrong. Why did a pretty lady like her look so sad? Even she didn't know, though she carried with her the comfort of finding answers to questions asked long ago.

She visited Uxie at Lake Verity and told the fantastical creature what was true in her heart. Uxie didn't respond negatively, and so she deemed her feelings legitimate. When she visited Mesprit at Lake Acuity, it was the same, and she now felt reassured about the boy resisting urges to run from her, if he had any to begin with.

Lake Valor, Azelf's home, was bare. Even the lake itself was empty when she swam through it, free from her clothes and burdens. She bought a motel room in the nearest town and wanted to return soon, but she heard rumors of a boy upsetting Azelf's resting place and being punished for it. Upon hearing more information, she knew the boy was hers, for he had the same description and temperament. She panicked, asked where to find him, and went to the hospital.

He was alive, but gone. She screamed. She screamed so loud, and he didn't—couldn't—hold her. The doctors had to soothe her, but they had no explanations or words of wisdom to offer. They dealt with reality, the kind of sick that you can see, not myths and stories. She couldn't decipher the psychic-type's behavior, either, especially after her experiences with its siblings. That, she could deal with. It was vital, this desire to know why the boy came to the lakes despite his protests. What she sought couldn't be found this time around.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved a boy. And when he died by her hands, she couldn't stop loving him.

Professor Elm told me this tale before I left the lab. He also told me it was a little too heartbreaking and dark for a young totodile like me, but that was the case for every story, it seemed. I insisted that I could take it, and he didn't hold back. The story was sad, yes, but it inspired me to travel the world, as other discoveries awaited me. The professor spoke eagerly of fond memories from his childhood, too. I wanted to create my own memories and make them pure enough to tell anyone who would listen. Needless to say, I couldn't stand being at the lab anymore.

I didn't value people who were vulnerable, frail, and lacking in tact. Professor Elm was exactly that kind of man. Somehow I believed I was blessed to be with him. He was patient and flexible as well, which was beneficial for me. These characteristics of his led me straight to my destiny. I can't imagine any other professor giving me up the way he did just to ensure my happiness. While he emphasized training for the other starter pokémon, he catered to my religious fantasies, my thirst for learning. Of course, I trained and became an obedient pokemon, too. I only agreed to do this, however, out of fear for meeting a legendary pokémon someday and being weak, clueless and disrespectful. I simply wasn't like the others, who avoided sleep and exhausted themselves more than was necessary. It was all about balance and routine.

I was never satisfied until the day my trainer came for me.

"We'll be starting the training for today, okay? I hope you're all refreshed and ready to go," Professor Elm said. It was just another ordinary day. I watched the group of pokémon from my favorite spot against the split-rail fence. I could see the rest of New Bark Town if I looked through the fence, but it kept us trapped inside. I wondered why it was needed, since Professor Elm trusted us not to escape. It was standard protocol, apparently. Even I wouldn't have escaped if given the chance. I was to wait for whatever the gods had in store for me.

The chikorita, the cyndaquil and the rest of the totodile gathered in the middle of the backyard. I stood, basking for one last moment in the sun. It was the brightest where I sat, and this was where Professor Elm spent his time with me. He never asked me to move, even if it was difficult for him to concentrate with the light shining in his eyes. I made my way over to the others. The pokémon squealed excitedly, and then the noise died down as Professor Elm cleared his throat.

As usual, he started by talking about us being a trainer's starter.

"What can you do to help the trainer grow and learn? You are not necessarily weak, but are just beginning alongside your trainer… I can't teach you much, because it is not up to me," the professor said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "But I can make things easier. You will all have to battle, as you know. We'll warm up by starting out with tackle and scratch attacks, which you'll often use in battle until you learn new attacks."

There were three large oak trees in the backyard. They looked as if they could tumble if we struck them too hard. They had been abused repeatedly over the years, and we were about to add to their beaten demeanor. I went to the tree designated for us water-type starters. I started lightly, and with every tackle, I willed my strength to come to me. We took turns bashing, hitting, slamming.

"I really like training..." one of the totodile stated, "but tackling makes my head hurt!"

I could relate, but I adjusted to the constant collisions and rough texture of the bark. Another totodile agreed and complained about how tired he was. During the next few turns, the totodile missed the tree entirely. The professor saw this, and instructed them to stop. They pouted and watched in dismay as everyone else continued practicing.

I sighed. Once again, the totodile had ruined my training. An ache like that came when you didn't pace yourself, but they couldn't grasp that concept. I would have told them what was on my mind, once, but they weren't willing to adapt.

Eventually, we moved on to our specialized, elemental attacks.

"A cyndaquil's fire can keep things warm, especially in the winter. Or they can cook food on the road. Chikorita can carry things with their vines, and their evolutions can heal teammates. And totodile can provide water and can scare away predators with their size and jaws. You should all do these things for your future trainer, just as you do them for me. Understood?"

We nodded.

The cyndaquil got to work first, and the rest of us followed. They blew fire at each other, since the heat energized them rather than burned them. (When they were babies, they made the grass catch fire, but thankfully, they grew out of that.) The chikorita carried rocks and potted plants, careful to not drop them. The totodile based their success on how soaked an object was when they were finished, but I had passed that stage already. I focused on how long I could keep the jet stream going without taking a breath.

Just as I thought we were improving, trouble was brewing among the chikorita. One of the younger chikorita didn't want to be carried, but her friends were telling her to quit her whining. Her squeals echoed throughout the backyard and maybe beyond. The professor ordered, in a feeble voice, to knock it off.

He lightened the mood with food. He brought out trays filled with various kinds of berries and let us choose what he wanted. I took a few of my favorite Cheri berries. We spread apart after emptying the trays, with me going back to my spot near the fence, and with the others speaking randomly to each other with their mouths full.

I sat in peace, waiting for Professor Elm to show up, as he always during our breaks. Rays of sunlight poured onto my body, and I had to shield my eyes to see where on the ground I put my Cheri berries. I ate them, one by one, savoring the flavor and finding it fascinating how the legendary pokémon made the sun necessary for survival, yet the sun itself never had any reaction toward what happened on the land it provided for. The entire human species, and all pokémon, could be gone tomorrow, and it wouldn't notice or care. It would rise and fall blindly. I vowed that someday I would make the sun care about me.

When Professor Elm came, he looked strangely comfortable, and he was beaming. He didn't even make a remark about the sun blocking his view.

"You look awfully happy today," I pointed out. As soon as I said it, I hoped I didn't sound too rude. I had a tendency to talk without thinking. He often told me I had the biggest ego he had ever seen, but he also told me I was mature for my age. Prone to tantrums and a bit of violence, sure, but certainly not naive. Then again, I hadn't expressed to him all my dreams for the future.

"Yes," he replied. "Someone's here for you."

I had heard many wild, impossible things, but in that moment, that statement topped them all. "Who would be here for me?"

"Who else?" He wouldn't stop smiling.

"A trainer..." I tried to process the situation. There were several totodile a trainer could pick from, and no one wants such a serious child trekking behind them... "How do you know they're here for me?"

"He said he saw us training through the fence when passing by," Professor Elm explained. "He was impressed with what he saw from you. The totodile with the improvised, specific routines? That's you."

So. I was special in someone's eyes. About time, really. My work had finally paid off, though I vaguely wished I had known he was watching me at the time it was happening.

"I'm leaving today, then? Now?" I felt as if I hadn't spoken in weeks.

"If you're ready. If you want me to, I can tell him that you're not ready to be handled, though I'm not a fan of lying..." the professor said, rubbing the back of his head.

"No! I want to go."

"Great. You'll be fine. You want something more than basic necessities, and the rest of the pokémon have yet to realize the same. I've tried to help you to the best of my abilities over the last year, since it's my job, but... a trainer is a whole other story."

I looked down, not wanting to seem too antsy like the others usually were. "What are we waiting for?" I returned his smile.

"You don't want to say goodbye?" Despite his questioning tone, it seemed more like a statement to me.

"We aren't exactly close."

"Don't be too hard on them. We can't all be the same."

"I know." But it didn't change my mind. Being stuck in one place hadn't gotten me far, and I wanted freedom for the others, too. The backyard we spent our days in... The land was only good for holding the pokémon world together. Without designated starters, new ten-year-old trainers wouldn't know where to begin. We were chosen, though not in the way _I_ wanted to be chosen. Everyone here, their separate purposes amount to so much more. Why wasn't this obvious?

I had never been inside Professor Elm's lab before. I knew what a building was, at least, because there was a shed in the backyard for when it stormed. I was disappointed that the professor never offered to let me see his research before.

Tall shelves lined the walls, showing off colorful book spines. There were landscape paintings hung by the lone desk in the room; the wooden frames looked out of place against the metal behind them. The floor beneath me was cold and unlike anything my feet had ever felt. Several researchers I barely recognized were bustling about, holding clipboards and pens while watching machines with intense interest.

My attention drifted to a boy wearing normal clothes rather than white coats and long pants. He had asked for me, but he didn't seem pleased to see me. He was frowning and seemed oblivious to his surroundings. I could get his approval later. For now I looked him over. His hair was dark and crazy, like he had just woken up. His arms were covered in cuts and bruises, which told me he wasn't a _beginner. _He had _experience_. Suddenly I was much more intrigued.

"This is Sai," Professor Elm said, motioning to the trainer.

"Sai?" I said. I repeated the name over and over in my head. Since none of us were directly called anything but our species name, we had to rely on differences in voice and body sizes. I had assumed humans were similar, and that 'Professor Elm' was a professional title. By the looks of things, we could be called something distinguishable! I was learning a lot already.

Professor Elm explained that I was the totodile he had seen through the fence. I heard bits and pieces about attacks I knew and how I could be useful, but it was hard to focus. I knew all of this, and I wanted to get going.

"Do you have a trainer's card?"

"I do not."

"You do know you need a trainer's card if you want to travel with pokémon, right?" Professor Elm said, his voice quiet as he fumbled with some papers in his hands.

What was a trainer's card? Why did it matter? Way to potentially ruin things for me, Professor Elm. If Sai would fix this misunderstanding...

"I... wasn't expecting to see the totodile. I was passing by." For whatever reasons, his words made me grin.

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from Vermilion City," Sai said, folding his arms.

"That's a bit far, huh? I can't think of why you're here, then..." Professor Elm said, more to himself than to Sai as he paced back and forth, writing something down.

"Just visiting the region. Seeing the sights."

The professor ignored him. After a few moments, he looked at me. His expression was sad and told me he shouldn't be giving me to a suspicious trainer. I nodded to him. I didn't care who the trainer was. If he was horrible to me, the legendary pokémon would punish him accordingly. If Professor Elm ruined this for me, then—

"I assume you have a trainer's card from Kanto?"

"Misplaced, sir. I'm sorry. Left my pokémon at home, where they felt comfortable."

"Hmm." Professor Elm put a finger to his forehead. "Seems fair. I will give you a trainer's card for the Johto region. Come here, Sai."

I wanted to tell him he couldn't command me or my trainer, but it seemed ungrateful. Though he wasn't an ideal man in my eyes, he deserved better than spoiled brats.

Sai went with Professor Elm, then backtracked to me. "Wait here, okay?"

I did so. It was the first instruction he gave me, and it was also one of the few. As I would soon find out, his directions were, at the surface, self-centered, but still thoughtful.

When they returned, Sai was holding a small item. I assumed it was his new trainer's card. In his other hand was a pokéball. We were not put in our pokéballs very often, and so I wondered what it was like to be inside one for an extended period of time. I hoped I never had to find out.

The professor came to me and knelt down so that we could see each other face-to-face. A mix of emotions ranged across his face, as if he wasn't sure what to feel. Didn't he say goodbye to starters a lot? He should have been used to it. Maybe you never get over some things. This, too, I hoped I never had to find out.

"Well, this is what you've been waiting for..." He sounded wary, though not as much as he had previously. "Don't forget anything you've learned here, okay? You're a good pokémon, and I'll miss you," he said, petting me on the head. I winced, not knowing what to say. A pang of guilt struck me, but it was too late to turn Sai down. There was nothing to stay for, anyway. The professor would have to go on without me.

After what seemed like forever, the professor stood up, shook Sai's hand, and wished us the best of luck. Sai thanked him, then turned. I followed Sai as he was practically running out the door. He held the door open for me, but I just had to look at Professor Elm once more. I saw him wave with one arm, the other tucked behind him. I waved back, and left. I was curious to see if I would miss the professor like he would miss me, whatever that meant.

When I stepped outside, I witnessed brand new scenery. Flowers bloomed everywhere. (There had been flowers in the backyard until the cyndaquil burned them. Professor Elm quit planting them. He had enough to take care of, and it was a waste of time.) There was also a body of water to my left. It stretched on, and I wanted to swim in it. I'd never seen that much water in one place, so I went in that direction. As I did, I observed more buildings, and in those buildings I knew there was more to learn. I'd figure out how to get inside later. I kept going forward, disregarding the sun, the sky, the grass. They were major parts of life, but the rest of the town represented _why _the legendary pokémon put so much effort into creating them.

In my haste, I bumped into something. Someone. I staggered backward and saw a pokémon that was taller than me as it stood on its tail. It was a sentret. Sentret sneaked into the professor's backyard to play almost every day. I wasn't hurt—the sentret's brown fur was soft—but I pretended to be.

"Watch where you're going," I mumbled.

"That's a good way to meet each other, I guess," I heard Sai say as he caught up to me.

My gaze shifted between the two of them. How did they know each other? This couldn't mean...

"Sai's been wanting to get you for the last few days, and now you're here," the sentret said.

I blinked. "This is your trainer?"

"He's yours, too."

"But—"

"I'm sorry," the sentret said. "I was his first pokémon, but he insisted on getting a Johto starter. He wanted the strongest he could find. Watched you for a while. I was impressed as well. Anyway, we can get out of here and—"

"Why would he need me if already had you?" I was being silly, but the whining was warranted. I originally believed Sai was experienced, which would mean he already _had_ pokémon. To find out otherwise gave me a chance, though, and that chance was stripped away from me in a matter of moments.

"I wish I knew. Ask him," the sentret said.

Sai didn't answer. "We can leave soon," he said instead. He pulled out an object, seemingly out of thin air, and gave it to me.

"Did you get this from the professor?" I asked, taking it in my clawed hands. It was warm, and didn't appear to be something a pokémon could use. "Is it mine?"

"No. It's mine," Sai said, then glanced at the sentret. He gulped. "I mean, I want you to roll it. Or throw it. Please."

Immediately I obeyed. When the deed was done, a white surface with two black dots in the center appeared. I peered at Sai expectantly, and was pleased to see him smile.

"Okay," he said. "Your name is Kuiora."

"My name?" I didn't see the correlation.

"Yes."

That meant the sentret had a name, too. Mine must have had more significance to make up for the first pokémon misunderstanding.

"Kuiora, my second pokémon," Sai said. He was content, at least.

"Yeah... We established that already."

"I just wanted you to know," he replied, frowning. He put the item in his pocket. "It's official. I made the right choice, so let's go." He spun around and went in the opposite direction.

I gazed longingly at the water, but obeyed my trainer. I was born to obey, after all. I didn't know what would happen next, but being his second pokémon didn't mean I was second best. That was what mattered. Impatient as I was, I would earn that position soon enough.

I followed Sai, not bothering to ask why we weren't exploring the rest of the buildings. I was destined to travel, to become stronger, to attract the eyes of the legendary pokémon. I would do all of this, even if I had to do it on my own. I was nothing if not the sum of the parts I made for myself and for the legends.

As we left New Bark Town, I thought about the totodile, cyndaquil and chikorita. Had they noticed my absence yet? Something told me they hadn't. They didn't know what they were missing. Until they learned to not only want, but also to yearn, I would fear for them, and for anyone else who blocked my path to victory.


	3. anxiolytic

chapter 3 ; [SENORI]  
>anxiolytic<p>

*

I would be lying if I said I wasn't grateful for the time away from home. It was a welcome distraction for an unknowing, faithful sentret like me who had been kicked to the curb. My obsessive thoughts gave way to make room for Sai and his individual needs.

I led him to New Bark Town. Along the way we talked in circles. I learned very little about him; my curiosity flared. It was strange, too, because he never let his eyes leave me, yet he seemed carefree as his arms dangled loosely at his sides. When his expression remained blank throughout the entire trip, my paranoia became pointless.

We reached the town at nightfall. No one was roaming the town in the dark. I shivered, but I was also disappointed. I wanted to see how someone else interacted with Sai. We would both have to wait to get what we wanted.

"Everyone's sleeping, I guess," I said softly, as if I would wake the whole town if I spoke any louder.

"Where are the pokémon?" he asked. His blue eyes looked brighter, but I might have been imagining things.

"They're with a human. He raises the pokémon so he can give them to new trainers." I pointed to a nearby building with an enclosed fence in the back. Beyond the fence was charred grass and some large, old trees, none as tall as the ones in my forest. "He trains them in there. I've seen them when I've come close to the town, but that's always been during the day. We'll have to wait."

Sai stared at me. Had I done too much by pointing out the obvios? There was a fine line between treating him as if he were stupid and trying to help him with new concepts.

"Time to sleep, then. You won't run off, right?"

"Right..." I replied. No threats, no anger. It was all I could think about, as if I wanted him to punish me. My chance at redemption seemed too unreal.

Sai sat by a field-like opening near the entrance to New Bark Town. He laid down his head and back on the grass and folded his arms across his chest. He closed his eyes, and after a few moments his breathing was relaxed and even. I went to him, though I kept some distance between us.

I thought he had fallen asleep already, but he then said, "In the morning, we'll get a pokémon. We'll go through the forest again, and we'll keep going from there."

"That's the simplified version of things, yes," I said under my breath, unsure if he could hear me.

"What do you mean?"

"Picking out your first pokémon is a big deal. There's lots of places to explore, too. There's not just one straight path to follow. And when we pass through the forest, I'd like to say goodbye, if possible." I curled up, wrapping my tail around my body for warmth. I had forgotten what it felt like to be in this position, and to sleep near someone else.

"Who do you have to say goodbye to?" Sai asked. He didn't appear exhausted, even after our fight.

"My clan. Anyone in the clan will do. I just think they should know I'm gone." I felt bitter, but I tried not to let it show.

"You don't seem too happy about it." So much for that.

"I'm not really happy, no. They don't like me anymore."

"Then it should be easier to say goodbye."

"I'd rather have no one to say goodbye to. It'd be easier."

He didn't reply. After a while he stirred, trying various positions to get comfortable. Nothing seemed to work. He groaned, then said, "I always thought it'd be better to have someone. Maybe I was wrong."

"And why do you say that?"

"It means that, at some point, you had someone and cared about them."

"You didn't have anyone too say goodbye to?"

"They were hardly worth it."

We stayed silent. Though I wanted more information, I didn't want to press him in case he was purposely avoiding my questions. I would also be betraying my clan if I tried to get closer to him before I officially secluded myself from them. Tomorrow, I would get permission to leave, and I would give Sai someone to care about.

As it turned out, we didn't spend just one day in New Bark Town. Sai couldn't decide in a mere few hours what pokémon he wanted. I explained to him that there was a grass-type, a fire-type, and a water-type to choose from. He frowned when I told him I didn't know their strengths and weaknesses, but he brightened after he realized there was a whole batch to look at. I thought it would be a simple task, finding the strongest among then, but it wasn't.

"There's so many of them," he said at the end of the day, when the pokémon had gone to rest. "I only got a close look at the grass-types. We'll have to come back tomorrow."

He used similar excuses for the next few days. We slept in the same area every night, and after we awoke, we stood by the fence to watch the pokémon as they trained. Sai tried to climb over the fence at first, and I had to yell at him about how it was meant to keep others out for a reason. Then he tried to look inside the backyard through the rails. I told him he was creepy and to get away from the fence entirely. He watched from afar. I shrugged.

When I was hungry, I searched for berries. I picked them off of bushes, ate them, and brought some to Sai, too, since I hadn't seen him eat anything yet. He scared them down, but never asked for more. Only then did I notice how thin he was. Under his ragged shirt I was sure I could see his bones sticking out.

I didn't question his behavior. Instead I thought about going into the forest and saying my goodbyes early to save time. I decided against this, however, when I knew I'd get the urge to do it all over again later. I tried to be patient, but it was hard when I had to move on. It was better than wandering the forest by myself, tortured and confused.

On the third day, I asked, "Have you picked out a pokémon yet?"

"No. None of them stand out," he replied. "A fire pokémon would be nice, but I don't need more chaos. The green ones don't seem like fights. I'm almost done with the water-types."

"Okay. Well, I'm going to get more food."

When I came back, Sai was gone. I assumed he was inside the building, or at least I was hoping he hadn't jumped the fence. I paced back and forth. It seemed like we had been here forever, yet we had accomplished very little. My loyalty kept me from complaining. I wanted to know whose instructions he was trying to properly listening to, but as long as he seemed content, that was enough for me.

A door creaked open and I looked to see Sai standing outside, holding it open for someone. An aqua-colored creature with red spikes protruding from its back and tail stepped out and ambled away. It was the water-type starter known as totodile.

The totodile went around aimlessly, entranced by the view. I saw it coming my way. I stood there, amused, until its snout bumped into me. And this sparked an awkward conversation where I had to tell the totodile I was Sai's first pokémon, and that I had _no idea_ why he deemed New Bark Town a necessary part of the journey. It rolled the dice, just as I had, and it—_she_—was named Kuiora. Her eyes shined and she sighed in relief. I wondered if she understood him any better than I did in that moment.

We moved on. Memories came flooding back to me as the tree canopies enveloped us once more.

Sai was, initially, an unwelcome reminder. He made me think of _them_.

They blended in with the dark. They were fast. And they were _here_, intending to make the best of their trip. When they disappeared, they screamed evilly, announcing their success.

I was the sentry that night. One of them came up to me, crawling and desperate. I couldn't see if there was any blood, but the pokémon was clearly injured. Sympathetic, I let my guard down. As I scrambled over to the pokémon, I saw its torn, navy blue skin. The red feathers jutting out of its back and ears were ripped. Its eyes looked dull, as did the golden jewels on its forehead and chest. It used its white, sharp claws to dig and propel itself forward.

"Are you okay?" I said. "What happened?"

"I was in a battle and got separated from my trainer," the sneasel explained, taking a deep breath in between words. Its voice was high pitched. "Please help me find him. He couldn't have gone far... He must be looking for me, but..."

I could have gotten the berries needed to heal her, but I didn't want to leave her by herself. I didn't know how deep the wounds were, either. I would have to abandon my post to find her trainer, but I had never left my post before.

"Why don't you stay with me? I'll keep you safe. If your trainer comes through here, I'll make sure you get back to him. It's not safe to travel at night."

The sneasel's reply was pathetic. "My trainer prefers to travel at night. He could be out by sunrise. He could forget about me."

I had no reason not to believe her. I couldn't risk letting her get hurt further, and so I went with her, watching for danger as we moved along. I should have woken up another clan member, should have asked them to take over the post. But my stubbornness told me I could do two jobs at once. This shift would just be a bit different from the others. I thought I could overcome the challenge.

She used me as a crutch. Her wet fur rubbed against mine, but I didn't mind. I could wash the blood off later and show off to the others, telling them I was a hero rather than an idle shift leader. The battle took place near the forest's edge, and so we went there. We traveled in silence, and when we arrived, the sun was rising.

I set the sneasel down. "Do you see your trainer anywhere?" I asked.

"No..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I nodded sadly. I surveyed the scene, too, but I knew I wouldn't find anyone. As I looked I told her we could look when daylight came, but no one answered me.

The sneasel was missing.

There was no blood.

You would think that I'd avoid caring for someone else from then on, but I couldn't give it up. The trait is ingrained in me; it is part of my personality. Besides, not everyone is fake. Not everyone wants to cause suffering. In my mind, Sai couldn't _act_ naive (and, as I learned about Kuiora, I didn't believe she could be explosive).

I was preoccupied by these thoughts as Kuiora mumbled about the forest's vastness. Sai agreed with her and said he'd never seen pokémon be this calm and quiet. Kuiora frowned, downtrodden about the overall tranquility. The pokémon left trainers alone unless provoked, which brought me back to that night. We were nearing the river. I stopped. My voice cracked as I told them to stop, too.

"What's wrong?" Kuiora said, her paws on her hips.

"My... clan is near here. I want to say goodbye. Do you remember, Sai?" The boy averted eye contact with me. "I'll be right back. I'll bring some berries for you guys to eat while you wait."

They nodded, but didn't _understand_. Sai had no friends, and what about Kuiora? She didn't find Sai odd; everything was fascinating to her childish self. I would have to change both of them, as soon this lovely yet degrading place was out of my head.

I brought them all the berries I could find without crossing the river. They would have to pick at the berries and see what kinds they liked. I couldn't remember what kinds I had given Sai yesterday, but I could fix this soon, too.

I went to the river's shore without telling Sai and Kuiora why I had to go at all. I went across the branches that extended to the other side, smiling as the bark felt unnatural against my feet. As I came to a clearing, I saw baby sentret playing with fallen leaves while the adults went about their daily chores. The latter froze when they saw me, then made an effort to hide their children. They scowled at me and disappeared, masking themselves with foliage.

I kept my head lifted, refusing to give in to shame. I asked to see Ari, the leader, in the most confident voice I could manage.

No one acknowledged my request. I heard a squeal from a little sentret asking why I couldn't be a friend. My actions would be retold. Perhaps the story would be exaggerated, but in the end, their innocence would be taken.

Minutes passed. Luckily, Ari showed himself without me having to do anything else. The river's current was loud, but it was Ari's footsteps that rang in my ears.

Ari didn't bother to articulate his words nicely. "Why are you here?" he said without emotion, though his furrowed expression told me he thought I was worthless.

"I'm leaving," I stated, trying to mimic his lack of passion. He didn't respond. "It was my fault. I know. I'm sorry. I would take it back if I could, and if I show my face again, I ask that you make me regret it."

"What you say doesn't matter. And if you don't regret it already, there is no helping you."

Suddenly I struggled to breathe. "I am invisible to you and the others. Words are all I have."

"Then you have nothing."

"...It was my fault."

There was only a liar and a sentret foolish enough to trust the liar.

The sneasel lured me away so that her friends and family could invade my home. Attacking me wouldn't have been satisfactory; battle cries would have alerted my clan and allowed them to prepare.

I fell into their trap so _easily_.

I rushed back to my clan as fast as I could when I lost sight of the insincere sneasel. In my haste I nearly plummeted into the river. I did notice, however, a mix of red and brown swirling in the water.

I ran and ran, but the danger was already gone. The damage had been done.

What I had thought was part of my imagination was, in reality, torn bits of sentret fur and blood. Broken, ripped limbs were splattered on the grass; whole bodies were smashed underneath hefty tree branches. From the small amount of sentret left, I could tell some had been taken. I didn't dare think about why. Those wounded or unharmed wept over their loved ones, braving the sights despite their sorrow.

This was my _family_. Things were peaceful—

The babies, they were just learning to walk—

I should have heard—

I murmured to myself, as if explaining what happened could reverse the events that had taken place. The sneasel seemed genuinely hurt, but she was playing a game all along, and she played it well. There was a list of steps I could have taken to dissect the situation, but I was consumed by pride. Would someone else have done the same? Had it been me, would I have put a pokémon's clan at stake?

I was trying to do a good deed—

Ari crashed into me. I found some solace, seeing him alive, though he was breaking inside and out. He must have been scared; his stony demeanor couldn't have held up in the midst of mass chaos.

"You didn't warn us about this! You could have said something! Anything! You left with the enemy..." he added, putting emphasis on each syllable. He pounded into me, but I was numb. "They told us you were on their side. Because of you, my love is hurt, the kids were eaten _right here—_"

He could have killed me, but his punches weakened as the world spun around us. He left me with pained and strained bones and a body covered in blood that didn't belong to me.

He snarled, "Get out of here. Just go."

I tortured myself by glancing at the gory scene again. I left and didn't try to come back, though I dreamed of them when I slept and pictured them next to me as I ate. I grieved in my own way, though I didn't know who to mourn for. I yearned for the chance to redeem myself, or for a long winded speech to come to me, one that would revive the dead and apologize to them.

"It should have been me," I'd say. I'd say I was so, so very sorry. So, so sorry. So sorry. "I can win against many pokémon in a fight. I can overcome most obstacles thrown at me. Over the years, I've learned that I can beat many things, but... life is not one of them."

Instead I said, "They were trying to avoid commotion and resistance. If I had heard any of them approaching, you know I would have called out." It was a feeble attempt, but an attempt nonetheless. If I was going to get kicked out, then it was only after the facts had been revealed and Ari had made a calm, rational decision.

"Those monsters were not from around here. It shouldn't happen again, not because of that, but because we will have more reliable sentret on duty from now on," Ari replied, ignoring me completely.

"Perhaps you should consider relocating—"

"Don't tell me what I should do! You are not our leader anymore." He rushed at me, but halted halfway through. He didn't want to relive the only redeeming part of that night, the part where he got to punish the perpetrator.

There was a pause. "A trainer came by here and attacked me," I said. I could feel his glare. "I know that you think he is a threat," I went on. "He is. But he also wants me to be his pokémon. He wants me to… help him." The affirmation felt right and wrong at the same time. "With your permission, I would like to take him away from the forest and be his pokémon so that he is no longer a threat."

"As I said, you are not our leader. You may do what you wish, as long as it doesn't involve us." Ari looked around, presumably watching for a human. I couldn't keep mysterious pokémon from raving my friends and family, but I had control over Sai. I would get him out of there.

"So I can leave."

"Leave."

"...You don't want me."

His temper was rising. "We don't want you. Take the trainer away from here, and don't come back."

That was what I needed to hear; a burden was lifted off of my shoulders. I would have done anything to be accepted as a clan member again, but I couldn't make amends. Time couldn't heal these scars. I gave Ari an apologetic stare, as I still carried regret and grief.

Ari broke my heart when he banished me. I, too, broke his heart, though indirectly. No one is ever safe. But I survived the attack for a reason. Now I could leave with Sai and start over as best I could.

I turned and ran.

I ran, but slowed to a stop as I neared New Bark Town. I observed my surroundings as I stood, knowing I wouldn't have privacy with Sai and Kuiora later on. The grass was fuzzy and made me feel warm, even with the breeze. The river was moving, and the water was so blue I could clean myself in it. I marveled at how many years the trees took to grow. Then I remembered I was betraying them, too. Well. Everything was peaceful, on the outside.

Did moving on mean reminiscing about the good _and_ the bad?

I reached Sai and Kuiora as a string of questions found their way into my head. I told them I was ready to go. Speaking seemed easier, somehow. When I met them, I watched my tongue, afraid of bursting and uncovering my secrets. There was nothing to hide at this point. The worst was over.

"Where are we going?" Sai asked.

"Yeah, where are we going?" Kuiora chimed in.

Their looks bore into me. Laughing at the irony of it all, I said, "Cherrygrove City. I don't really know anything about the place except that new trainers don't like going there."

"Why not?" He joined me and laughed, though I wasn't sure why.

"They always want these badges, and you can't get one in Cherrygrove."

At this, Sai frowned. "I'm supposed to get those badges. I think we're talking about the same thing, anyway. I don't want to waste time there if that's the case. Not allowed."

"Badges?" Kuiora said.

"We train, battle, and get badges. That's what I was told to do. So that's what we're going to do." Who told him that?

"I was training at the lab, so let's get going!" Wasn't she going to ask why he could understand pokémon?

"Senori will lead the way," Sai said, looking at me expectantly. And wasn't he wondering if we were going the wrong way?

They believed in me fully, it seemed.

"I've never been anywhere else, but I'm sure we can figure it out," I said, trying to sound confident.

"Unfortunate, but it's all right. Thanks, Senori."

As we always do, we went on. Sai didn't care for Cherrygrove City, as anticipated, but he sure did enjoy Violet City, a place new and refreshing for all of us.


End file.
